Banana Bread Granola

This recipe is gluten free, vegan and uses whole foods only. Enjoy!

This November is shaping up to be a busy time of year for me - it means studying for 4 exams alongside packing up my entire house in preparation for our move in two weeks. It’s times of the year like this where I try to let go of spending hours in the kitchen, and instead focus on simple, nutritious recipes that can be used for multiple meals. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and usually involves elaborate smoothie bowls, buckwheat porridge, or fancy toast toppings but for the next few weeks I’m digging out some of my old favourite granola recipes. Having a massive jar of granola ready to go in the cupboard really does save huge amounts of time in the morning (as well as washing up!). It’s as simple as pouring in a bowl and covering with almond milk and any fresh fruit that’s lying around.

If you’re at a similar point in your life right now, I highly recommend taking half an hour out of your day today to save you copious amounts of time for the rest of the week. This Banana Bread Granola is an old favourite of mine which is naturally sweetened with medjool dates and banana and held together with a generous scoop of tahini. If you’re not a banana fan, check out my Pumpkin Pie Granola recipe instead or grab a copy of my eBook to get access to my all time favourite Ginger Buckwheat Granola.

If you do have a little time on your hands, try making your own nut milk from scratch or even top your bowl with some delicious homemade nut butter.

This Banana Bread Granola is so delicious. It tastes just like banana bread, only crunchy! It’s almost worth baking this granola just for how delicious your house will smell - try to time your baking for when you have guests arriving to look like a seriously impressive chef. It also doubles up as a perfect, balanced energy boost to snack on throughout the day. Try taking a small bag of it with you to work/school as a healthy alternative to those packaged muesli bars we often grab on the run.

Set aside 30 minutes today so that you can revel in the instant bananary deliciousness for the rest of your week. What are your favourite time saving tricks for those busy times of year? I would love for you to let me know in the comments below :)

Banana Bread Granola

Ingredients

4 medjool dates, seeds removed

2 Tbsp. tahini

2 very ripe bananas

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground clove

Pinch salt

1.5 cups oats

3/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped

1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

3/4 cup raw buckwheat

1/2 cup flaked or desiccated coconut

Takes 30 min,
serves 10.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper

Add dates, tahini and bananas to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy

Add banana mixture to a large bowl and add all remaining ingredients

Stir well and then spread granola mixture over the two baking trays

Bake for around 20 minutes, until just golden and crunchy, stirring a few times throughout the baking to stop the edges from burning

Allow the granola to cool completely, then serve with fresh fruit and yogurt or store in an airtight jar for up to a week